An expert has revealed ten signs you may be a highly sensitive person, from regularly needing time for yourself to experiencing an intense reaction to criticism.
Dr. Lalitaa Suglani is a clinical psychologist from Birmingham and author of High-Functioning Anxiety A 5-step Guide To Calming The Inner Panic and Thriving.
She also creates content and often shares posts about mental health topics on Instagram, where she has about 164,000 followers.
A recent report that Dr. Suglani shared online was titled Signs of a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP).
In it, she listed the ten signs, above video footage of herself drinking a cup of tea.
Being a highly sensitive person is not a clinical diagnosis, but rather considered a personality trait.
According to the American Psychological Association, “The Highly Sensitive Persons (HSP) scale is a measure of sensitivity to sensory processing, which is conceptualized as both a high degree of sensitivity to subtle stimuli and being easily overstimulated by external stimuli.”
Dr. Lalitaa Suglani (pictured) is a licensed psychologist based in Birmingham and author of High-Functioning Anxiety A 5-step Guide To Calming The Inner Panic and Thriving
The term was coined in the mid-1990s by psychologist Elaine Aron, and she has been researching the subject for decades.
According to the psychologist, HSPs are a subgroup of the population, with some estimates putting them at around 15 to 20 percent.
Those who are highly sensitive have a high personality trait called sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), says Aron.
Having high levels of SPS results in an individual exhibiting a higher degree of emotional sensitivity.
They are also more reactive to stimuli – both internal and external – such as light, sound and pain. Their inner life is described as ‘complex’.
While not all HSPs are introverts—that is, those who feel more energetic after spending time alone—the majority, about 70 percent, are thought to be.
On her Instagram post on the subject, Dr. Suglani wrote a caption that read, “Have you ever felt like you experience the world more deeply than others? It’s time you fully understand what this means!
“This year, embrace it and start to understand it better – it’s the key to success.”
Signs that you are an HSP include experiencing heightened emotional reactions and feeling overwhelmed by violent or negative media, among other things (stock image)
Her list of 10 items included:
1. Need regular time for yourself
2. Experience an intense reaction to criticism
3. Easily become overwhelmed by stimuli
4. Have a rich inner life and imagination
5. Have strong intuition and gut feelings
6. With empathy and compassion
7. Experiencing heightened emotional responses
8. Being sensitive to sound, light or texture
9. Feeling overwhelmed by violent or negative media
10. Experiencing discomfort in crowded or busy environments
Dr. Suglani is not the only psychologist who has written about being an HSP.
Dr. Julie Smith, a clinical psychologist with a private practice in Hampshire, has 4.8 million followers on TikTok.
In a video shared last year, she listed five signs you may be an HSP, including being deeply affected by the moods and pain of others. She said these people are often “deeply affected” by violent films and seeing others in need.
She went on to say, “Second, when you are in a busy environment, you often feel the need to retreat and be alone to get relief from the stimulation of that environment.”
On the third point, Dr. Smith says that if others try to overload you with too many things at once, “you quickly become overwhelmed by all the demands.”
“Number four: You hate change and avoid making a lot happen because of all the strong emotions that come with it,” she continued.
Dr. Smith then revealed the final sign: When you’re asked to compete or perform in front of others, you get nervous.
This nervousness then causes you to do much worse than you otherwise would have done.
Dr. Julie Smith, a clinical psychologist with a private practice in Hampshire, also shared information about the signs that you may be an HSP.
Dr. However, Smith noted that there are positive aspects to being an HSP.
She said that if you are one, you are probably very conscientious and can concentrate deeply.
Additionally, you may be especially good at tasks that require accuracy, speed, and error detection.
Moreover, you are more likely to be able to process material on a much deeper level.
And, she added, you might benefit from the ability to reflect on your own thinking and experiences and develop self-awareness.